Festivals and Special Occasions

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department provided support to any organisations celebrating St Andrew's Day in 2011.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office supported the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland's annual St Andrew's tide visit to London. The Advocate-General and I attended a St Andrew's Day service in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft at Westminster before the Advocate-General hosted a lunch in Dover House to mark the occasion.
	Details of a St Andrew's Day concert by Ian McFarlane held in the Banqueting House. Whitehall were circulated to Scotland Office staff in Dover House should they wish to attend.
	A number of Whitehall Departments flew the Saltire flag on St Andrew's Day.

A31: Dorset

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if she will take steps to reduce the length of time that all side roads from the Canford Bottom roundabout will be closed during the current construction works;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the length of time during which all side roads from the Canford Bottom roundabout will be closed during the current construction works.

Michael Penning: Revisions to the programme of the current construction works at the Canford Bottom roundabout have reduced the total length of time the side roads will be affected from 12 to eight weeks.
	Due to the phasing of this work, Ham Lane/Wimborne Road West (Ferndown side) will be closed for two weeks, all side roads are then closed for four weeks, followed by closure of Canford Bottom/Wimborne Road West (Wimborne side) for two weeks.
	Further to our meeting on 5 December 2011, the Highways Agency is looking at ways to further reduce the time the side roads will be closed. They are investigating extended hours or 24/7 working, although this will have to be considered with the likely disruption to local residents.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff of her Department have been disciplined due to drug offences in the last 12 months.

Norman Baker: The central Department and six of its executive agencies can confirm that there have been no cases where a member of staff has been disciplined due to drug related offences. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is not able to answer as it would incur disproportionate costs.

Intercity Express Programme

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Intercity Express Programme carriages will enter service in each of the next 10 years.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport is currently conducting commercial discussions with Agility Trains, the precise numbers of carriages and their rate of delivery will remain under negotiation as the contract moves towards financial close.

Motor Vehicles: Lighting

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to prevent the unnecessary use of fog lights in conditions of good visibility.

Michael Penning: The use of front or rear fog lamps is prohibited other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility. Enforcement of road traffic law is a matter for the police. However, guidance on the correct use of fog lights is also provided in the Highway Code which advises that seriously reduced visibility is when the driver cannot see further than 100 metres (328 feet).
	To help prevent rear fog lamps inadvertently being left on, they must be designed to automatically switch off when all other lamps are turned off and then to remain off until deliberately switched on again. Alternatively an audible warning must be given if the driver leaves the vehicle with the rear fog lamps on.

Railways

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the potential of magnetic levitation technology for use in the next generation of high-speed trains.

Justine Greening: Work by the Department for the 2007 White Paper, “Delivering a Sustainable Railway”, found that magnetic levitation technology would be significantly more expensive than high speed rail and would not enable trains to run seamlessly onto existing inter-city routes, serving a wider range of destinations. The few instances of magnetic levitation systems in use around the world operate on a relatively short point-to-point basis and scaling the technology up to a national network is unproven. There are no plans to further consider magnetic levitation as an alternative to a high speed rail network.

Shipping: Rescue Services

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department has conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the withdrawal of emergency towing vehicle funding comparing the south-west of England and the north-west of Scotland.

Michael Penning: The decision to withdraw the emergency towing vessels (ETVs) was part of the comprehensive spending review package announced in October 2010, and reflected the Government's judgment about the balance of risk of pollution around the UK coast in the event of a maritime accident. This decision was based on the then current running costs of the ETV contract, and the determination that the costs of any future pollution incident will be borne by the polluter on a cost recovery basis. There was no specific cost benefit analysis comparing the south-west of England and north-west of Scotland.

Departmental Flags

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which flag or flags are routinely displayed outside each of his Department's overseas (a) posts and (b) residences. [Official Report, 15 December 2011, Vol. 537, c. 3MC.]

Henry Bellingham: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The general rule is that the relevant flag—as follows—should be flown at post on all working days during office hours, depending on which country the posts are located in and the type:
	Diplomatic flag—this is the Union flag with the Royal Arms in the centre surrounded by a green garland.
	Consular flag—this is the Union flag with the St Edward's Crown in the centre on a white disc . It is only flown at consular posts in foreign countries.
	Union flag—this is flown in Commonwealth countries.
	European flag—the display of the European flag is a courtesy rather than a requirement. On Europe day (9 May), posts in EU and EU-applicant countries should display the European flag. Other posts may also display the flag on Europe day where this is normal local practice. UKREP Brussels displays the European flag at all times. All posts may display the flag at other times where this is normal local practice.
	In all cases, the European flag is displayed alongside, not instead of, the British Diplomatic, Consular or in Commonwealth countries the Union flag, with the British flag having precedence.
	Overseas Territories—The personal flag of an Officer Administering the Government (OAG) in an Overseas Territory is the Union flag, superimposed in the centre with the approved arms or badge of the Territory on a white disc surrounded by a green garland. It is flown from sunrise to sunset at Government House when the OAG is in residence: if he/she is not, the flag is flown wherever he/she is in the Territory.
	The Union flag is flown from sunrise to sunset at Government House when the OAG is not in residence. It is also flown there if he/she has placed the residence entirely at the disposal of an important visitor, e.g. a member of the royal family.
	UK national flags—three of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom have their own national flags: the St Andrew's, St David's, and St George's flags. (Northern Ireland is currently without a national flag, pending a new design.) These flags may be flown on the appropriate national day. Posts also have discretion to fly them when special circumstances/events dictate, e.g. the visit of a Minister from a devolved Administration.
	London 2012—The International Olympic Committee and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games gave permission for posts overseas to fly the London 2012 host country flag on key dates in 2012 and for the duration of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has supported. The dates in question are as follows:
	9 January 2012: 200 days to go—Olympics
	11 February 2012: 200 days to go—Paralympics
	18 April 2012: 100 days to go—Olympics
	10 May 2012: Lighting of the Olympic flame
	17 May 2012: Handover of the Olympic flame
	18 May 2012: Arrival in the UK of the Olympic flame
	21 May 2012: 100 days to go—Paralympics
	27 July to 12 August 2012 inclusive: Olympic Games
	29 August to 9 September 2012 inclusive: Paralympic Games.
	Posts are only permitted to fly the 2012 flag on those agreed dates above, but can display it in their reception areas at other times. Again the British Diplomatic, Consular or the Union flag, will take precedence.
	(b) The general rule for flying the relevant flags listed above at Residencies is that they should be flown on the following British anniversaries, during the visit of one of Her Majesty's ships or on days of local celebration or mourning.
	British Anniversaries:
	20 January: birthday of HRH the Countess of Wessex
	6 February: Her Majesty's Accession
	19 February: birthday of HRH the Duke of York
	1 March: St David's day
	10 March: birthday of HRH the Earl of Wessex
	17 March: St Patrick's day
	March (second Monday): Commonwealth day
	21 April: birthday of Her Majesty
	23 April: St George's day
	9 May: Europe day(1)
	2 June: Coronation day
	10 June: birthday of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh
	June (second Saturday): official celebration of Her Majesty's birthday
	17 July: birthday of HRH the Duchess of Cornwall
	15 August: birthday of HRH the Princess Royal
	November (second Sunday):Remembrance day
	14 November: birthday of HRH the Prince of Wales
	20 November: Her Majesty's wedding anniversary
	30 November: St Andrew's day.
	(1) The Union flag should fly alongside the European flag. On Government buildings that only have one flagpole, the Union flag should take precedence.

Iran: Baha'i Faith

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of attempts to prevent Bahá'ís in the Iranian city of Sanandaj from attending gatherings; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: We are aware of the deeply concerning reports that Baha'is are being prevented from attending regular planned gatherings and are being threatened. This is a flagrant breach of Iran's commitments under international law to protect freedom of religion, and forms part of a wider pattern of harassment of Baha'is in Iran, including the imprisonment of their leaders. We have regularly raised these issues with the Iranian authorities, for example when the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), met the Iranian chargé d’affaires in August this year. Following the storming of the British embassy in Tehran on 29 November, the UK has downgraded diplomatic relations with Iran. However, we will continue to press the Iranian Government to accord all Iranian citizens the right to freedom of religion. With our EU partners, the UK has taken co-ordinated action to address Iran's human rights record, imposing travel bans and asset freezes on over 60 Iranians responsible for human rights violations, including Government Ministers and members of the judiciary.

Applied Language Solutions

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2011, Official Report, columns 544-5W, on Applied Language Solutions, 
	(1)  whether the statement in that answer that the assessment of creditors of Applied Language Solutions (ALS) falling due within one year is nil is reconcilable with ALS' 2009-10 accounts which show creditors with debts falling due within one year as £1.926 million;
	(2)  what the criteria were which his Department used in making its choice of provider; and for what reason Applied Language Solutions was chosen as the provider.

Crispin Blunt: The answer provided previously was in response to a question which the Department considered to relate specifically to mezzanine funding which is a hybrid of debt and equity funding.
	In more general terms, a financial assessment of Applied Language Solutions considered the company to be financially viable with a profitable position. At the time these issues were considered, it was known that the solution would be a one-stop shop facility that could be delivered by one or more companies. Small and Medium Enterprises, including Applied Language Solutions, with reasonable financial positions and scalable solutions were therefore considered suitable.
	The criteria used to determine the choice of provider were: Service 30%, Innovation 10%, Quality 25%, Assurance of Supply 30% and Sustainability 5%. In financial terms, the Ministry of Justice had determined it would accept the lowest priced, affordable and compliant tender, i.e. there would be a minimum threshold of 80% for the non price criteria above which the lowest priced tender would be selected. Applied Language Solutions met the criteria and submitted the lowest priced tender.

Harassment

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many complaints about harassment under section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 were dealt with by (a) a caution, (b) a fixed penalty notice and (c) an official warning in each year since 2005.

Crispin Blunt: Data are available on the number of offenders cautioned under section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and section 32 of the Crime Disorder Act 1998 in England and Wales, 2005 to 2010 (latest available). It can be viewed in the following table.
	Under section 32 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 a person is guilty of an offence of racially or religiously aggravated harassment if they commit an offence under section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 which is racially or religiously aggravated (as defined in section 28 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998).
	Fixed penalty notices (penalty notices for disorder) are not available for offences committed under section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 or section 32 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. A caution is a formal warning for a criminal offence therefore we have interpreted the request for information on official warnings to mean cautions.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring 2012.
	
		
			 Offenders cautioned  (1,2)   for offences under section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, England & Wales, 2005-10  (3) 
			 Statute 2005 2006 2007 2008  (4) 2009 2010 
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997, section 2(5) 3,055 3,500 3,560 3,668 3,535 3,277 
			 Crime and Disorder Act 1998, s.32(6) 105 117 90 87 89 18 
			 (1) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. (5) Includes: Offence of harassment. (6) Offences under Crime and Disorder Act 1998, s.32: Racially aggravated offence of harassment Religiously aggravated offence of harassment Racially or religiously aggravated offence of harassment Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Independent Police Complaints Commission

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many full-time equivalent staff the Independent Police Complaints Commission expects to employ in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13;
	(2)  how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission as (a) investigators, (b) deputy senior investigators and (c) senior investigators in each financial year since 2004-05;
	(3)  how many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the Strategy and Communications Directorate of the Independent Police Complaints Commission in each financial year since 2004-05.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not hold this information. These matters are for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). The IPCC has written to the right hon. Member about the information sought. A copy has been placed in the House Library.

Independent Police Complaints Commission

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many (a) independent investigations, (b) managed investigations and (c) supervised investigations involving the Independent Police Complaints Commission there were in each financial year since 2004-05;
	(2)  how many full-time equivalent staff are expected to be employed in the Strategy and Communications Directorate of the Independent Police Complaints Commission in the financial year 2012-13;
	(3)  how many investigations were carried out by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following a death or serious injury during or following police contact in each of the last seven financial years;
	(4)  how many cases of death or serious injury during or after police contact were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in each financial year since 2004-05;
	(5)  how many police officers were suspended pending an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into a death or serious injury during or after police contact in each financial year since 2004-05;
	(6)  how many (a) senior investigators, (b) deputy senior investigators and (c) investigators in the Independent Police Complaints Commission are former members of the police;
	(7)  what proportion of (a) senior investigators, (b) deputy senior investigators and (c) investigators in the Independent Police Complaints Commission are from (i) Black or Black British and (ii) Asian or Asian British background;
	(8)  what steps her Department has taken to increase the number of black and ethnic minority members of the Investigations Directorate of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not hold this information. These matters are for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). The IPCC has written to the right hon. Member about the information sought. A copy has been placed in the House Library.

Knives: Crime

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with which organisations the Government is working to reduce the level of knife crime.

James Brokenshire: The Government works with a range of organisations to reduce knife crime including youth and community sector organisations, the Association of Chief Police Officers, and local statutory community safety partners.
	Following the publication of the Brooke Kinsella's Report, Tackling Knife Crime Together—a Review of Local Anti-Knife Crime Projects, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), announced a package of funding. This includes:
	£3.75 million for three police forces—London, West Midlands and Greater Manchester—for the next two years under the Communities Against Guns, Gangs and Knives (CAGGK) Programme;
	£4 million for the voluntary and community sector over the next two years under the CAGGK Fund—£2 million will be available during 2011-12 and a further £2 million during 2012-13. Each successful organisation will receive up to £10,000 each per year to prevent the involvement of teenagers in gun, gang and knife crime.
	The list of organisations supported by the CAGGK Fund can be found using the following link:
	http://grantsadmin.co.uk/funding/
	£250,000 for one further year of the Ben Kinsella Fund to help young people run anti-knife crime projects in their local area.

Energy: Meters

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with stakeholders on the roll out of smart meters in rural areas.

Charles Hendry: The Government will place regulatory obligations on energy suppliers that will require them to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters for all their domestic and smaller non-domestic customers by the completion date in 2019. This obligation will apply equally to customers in rural areas as to others.
	This policy has been informed by extensive consultation with stakeholders, both formal and informal. For example, we received 279 responses to our 2010 Smart Metering Prospectus consultation, including representatives of consumer interests such as Age UK, Consumer Focus, Citizen's Advice, the Federation of Small Businesses, and Which? Consumer groups continue to actively engage in the Smart Meter Programme through membership of a range of working groups, including a dedicated Consumer Advisory Group.

Energy: Meters

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has for the roll out of smart meters in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The Government will place regulatory obligations on energy suppliers that will require them to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters for all their domestic and smaller non-domestic customers by the completion date in 2019. This obligation will apply equally to customers in rural areas as to others.

Departmental Pay

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether any senior staff in (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies are paid by means of payments to a limited company in lieu of a salary; and if he will publish his policy on such payments.

Francis Maude: Staff in Cabinet Office employed by private sector or third sector organisations, for example on secondment, generally remain on the payroll of their organisation, where Cabinet Office reimburses the organisation in line with civil service rates of pay appropriate to the role.
	The Cabinet Office has one senior member of staff employed by McKinsey and Company, Mr Tim Kelsey, who leads on the Transparency agenda, and one senior member of staff employed by Institute for Government (a company limited by guarantee), Mr David Halpern, who leads the Behavioural Insight Team, and the Cabinet Office reimburses those organisations at rates equivalent to that of a Director.
	This is part of the Cabinet Office's strategy to bring in expertise and specialist skills on a temporary basis from commercial, third sector and wider public sector organisations in line with Government policy on Senior Civil Service rates of pay.
	No senior staff in Cabinet Office's executive agencies and non-departmental bodies-are paid by means of payment to a limited company in lieu of salary.

Public Sector: Pensions

Julian Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his policy is on the acceptance by Government of the binding nature of arbitration between public sector workers and Government.

Francis Maude: holding answer 5 December 2011
	As I set out to the House on 30 November 2011, Official Report, columns 941-58, sector specific talks are ongoing between individual pensions schemes and the unions, following the proposals set out by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), on 2 November 2011, Official Report, columns 927-29.

Emergencies

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many full-time equivalent staff work on the telecommunications and postal services workstream of the Capabilities programme; and what the staffing level was in each of the last 10 quarters.

Edward Davey: There are no individual staff that work full-time working on the Capabilities programme. Approximately two full-time equivalent officials in BIS contribute to the telecommunications and postal services elements of the Capabilities programme. Resources have remained broadly stable over the past 10 quarters.

Third Sector

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding over £100,000 his Department's Knowledge and Innovation Directorate allocated to (a) voluntary sector, (b) charities and (c) other third sector organisations in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: holding answer 25 November 2011
	Knowledge and Innovation Group was formed at the end of 2010 after allocations for 2010-11 had been made. Most of the group's total budget reaches charities which are higher education institutions or students who attend them. We generally allocate funding to partner organisations which take independent decisions on funding for individual bodies. The following table sets out the available information requested for bodies which are directly funded by the group rather than those whose funding depends on the decisions of independent partner organisations.
	
		
			 Direct grant support over £100,000 
			 2011/12 £000 
			 Total national academies 87,465 
			 Royal Society 47,830 
			 British Academy 27,001 
			 Royal Academy of Engineering 12,634 
			   
			 Other support for science  
			 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network (STEMNET) 6,300 
			 British Science Association 1,530 
			 Engineering UK/Big Bang Education CIC (The Big Bang Fair) 350 
			 UK Resource Centre for Women in SET (UKRC) 500 
			  8,680 
			   
			 Other  
			 Design Council 5,312 
			 Natural England 365 
			 UK Council for International Students 300 
			 Tate Britain 291 
			 The British Council 285 
			 European University Institute 229 
			 College of Europe 213 
			 Royal Anniversary Trust 167 
			 Raleigh International Trust 167 
			 Association of Commonwealth Universities 117 
			 National Foundation for Education 115 
			 Royal Botanic Kew Gardens 111 
			  7,555

Death: Weather

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional resources he plans to allocate to the NHS to prevent excess deaths in winter 2011-12.

Anne Milton: The Department launched the first national Cold Weather Plan for England on 1 November 2011. This provides strategic guidance and a framework which national health service trusts can incorporate into their existing local winter planning arrangements. It emphasises good practice which will limit the impact of cold weather on health.
	The Department is centrally funding the Met Office for £40,000 to run a Cold Weather Alert system across England from 1 November 2011 to 31 March 2012 in support of the Cold Weather Plan.
	To support the aims of the Cold Weather Plan, the Department has established the 'Warm Homes, Healthy People' fund—up to £20 million for winter 2011-12. This is a major new initiative to support local authorities and their partners (including NHS trusts) in reducing deaths and poor health due to cold housing.
	The Department will also be providing financial support to Department of Energy and Climate Change of up to £10 million. This will be used to support Warm Front to help even more households that are vulnerable to fuel poverty in 2011-12.

Death: Weather

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to prevent excess deaths in the winter of 2011-12.

Anne Milton: The Department launched the first national Cold Weather Plan on 1 November 2011. The plan sets out what needs to happen before and during periods of severe winter weather in England, and builds on established national and local campaigns for winter health with a more co-ordinated approach. The plan will work through a system of Cold Weather Alerts, linked to the existing winter weather warning system developed by the Met Office, in operation from 1 November to 31 March.
	To support the aims of the Cold Weather Plan, the Department has established the ‘Warm Homes, Healthy People’ fund—up to £20 million for winter 2011-12. This is a major new initiative to support local authorities and their partners in reducing deaths and poor health due to cold housing.
	The Department will also be providing financial support to Department of Energy and Climate Change of up to £10 million. This will be used to support Warm Front to help even more households that are vulnerable to fuel poverty in 2011-12.

Hospital Wards: Gender

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information NHS trusts are required to collect to monitor (a) use of mixed-sex accommodation and (b) standards of privacy and dignity provided for patients.

Simon Burns: We are determined to end mixed-sex accommodation (MSA), except where it is clearly in the best interest of the patient. The following information is collected nationally:
	(a) National health service trusts submit the number of breaches of MSA sleeping guidance that occur each month. The providers submit this data split by the relevant commissioning primary care trust(s).
	We calculate the MSA breach rate as the number of breaches of MSA sleeping guidance per 1,000 finished consultant episodes (FCEs). The source of FCE data is Inpatient Hospital Episode Statistics.
	Organisations also collect (but do not report centrally) all mixed-sex sharing of bathroom/toilet facilities and all mixed provision of day space in mental health units at a local level.
	(b) Performance on privacy and dignity is measured via the Care Quality Commission's National Inpatient Survey and by Patient Environment Action Team inspections. These collections are not mandatory, but compliance is very high.
	More generally, the NHS Operating Framework 2012-13 requires NHS organisations to
	“actively seek out, respond positively, and improve services in line with patient feedback. This includes acting on complaints, patient comments, local and national surveys and results from Veal time' data techniques”.

NHS: Drugs

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guidance approval of the Velcade Response Scheme in October 2007, how many schemes involving the manufacturers of pharmaceuticals paying back money to the NHS were approved by NICE between January 2008 and May 2010; and how much such schemes have been approved since May 2010.

Simon Burns: The Velcade (bortezomib) Response scheme is an outcome-based patient access scheme involving possible repayments from the manufacturer to national health service organisations linked to patient response which is monitored as part of the scheme. To date, the Velcade response scheme is the only patient access scheme of this type which has been incorporated in technology appraisal guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
	Patient access schemes proposed by manufacturers in the context of NICE technology appraisals may take a variety of forms, some of which include options for the NHS to receive a cash rebate, free stock or credit linked to the purchase of a drug. A full list of drugs recommended by NICE in association with patient access schemes is available on the Institute's website at:
	www.nice.org.uk/aboutnice/howwework/paslu/ListOfPatientAccessSchemesApprovedAsPartOfANICE Appraisal.jsp

Olympic Games 2012: Folk Dance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 4 May 2011, Official Report, column 753W, on Olympic Games 2012: folk dance, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in respect of the opening and closing ceremonies; whether such discussions included reference to the inclusion of English traditional folk dance; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Ministers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport meet representatives of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) about various London 2012 matters including ceremonies, There were no specific discussions about the inclusion of traditional folk dance in the opening and closing ceremonies. The details of the opening and closing ceremonies are a matter for LOCOG. LOCOG has appointed a world class group of creative experts to develop Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies that will reflect this country's rich and diverse culture and heritage.

Parking: Fees and Charges

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on the (a) net and (b) gross income from parking charges in each London local authority in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Neill: I have today placed in the Library of the House, a table giving details on the gross and net income from parking services in each London local authority for the last 10 years.

Waste Disposal: Second-hand Goods

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether it is his policy to support by-laws, enabling local authorities to selectively license premises dealing in second-hand goods, for the purposes of preventing the disposal of stolen goods.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 5 December 2011
	Our policy is that byelaws are not appropriate where national legislation already exists to address the issue in question. National legislation already prohibits the handling of stolen goods.

Youth Unemployment

John Mann: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the level of youth unemployment.

David Cameron: The problem of rising youth unemployment has been ongoing since 2004. Comprehensive action is required to ensure young people have sustained employment opportunities in the private sector.
	So the Government have launched the £1 billion Youth Contract which will provide an extra 250,000 work experience places and 160,000 wage incentive payments.
	The Government are also providing over 440,000 apprenticeship places this year, opening up 24 University Technical Colleges and are ensuring vulnerable young people have faster access to the specialised support of the Work programme.
	This Government are also reforming our schools so that young people leave better equipped to join the work force.

River Nene: Fishing

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Environment Agency is taking to tackle illegal fishing on the River Nene in Cambridgeshire; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency is aware of a concern among anglers that illegal fishing may be affecting fish stocks on some rivers; the River Nene being an example. While most anglers return their catch, there is a culture within some communities to retain fish for the table.
	The issue was recognised some years ago and fisheries byelaws have recently changed to make it an offence to remove most fish from our rivers. The Environment Agency employs officers to enforce the byelaws and respond to reports of illegal activity. They work with local angling clubs and request police assistance if appropriate.
	In addition to enforcement, education is also important and the Environment Agency is working with the Angling Trust on a 'Building Bridges' project. A project officer has been appointed to explain our culture and fisheries legislation to these communities. An angling event to promote this was held in Cambridgeshire in late November.

Whales

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the international bans on (a) whaling and (b) the international trade of whale products.

Richard Benyon: The UK strongly supports the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling. This was introduced in 1986 and has seen a dramatic reduction in the number of whales being killed. The UK will continue to oppose ongoing commercial and 'scientific' whaling and press for the greater conservation and protection of whales.
	I attended this year's IWC meeting to demonstrate the UK Government's commitment to the work of the IWC, and our support for the moratorium on whaling.
	The UK firmly supports the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) restrictions on international trade in whale meat and whale products. The EU prohibits the international trade in all whale meat and products.
	Under CITES, a Party with a reservation placed against a species of whale can trade in that species, but only with a non-Party to CITES or a Party who has similarly placed a reservation. Iceland, Japan, Norway and Palau have reservations in place against several whale species listings and for example, Iceland can, and does, trade in Fin whale meat with Japan.

Whales: Faroe Islands

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Faroese government on the hunting of whales, dolphins and porpoises by Faroese fishermen.

Richard Benyon: The UK Government recognises the strength of feeling in the UK about the hunting of cetaceans in the Faroe Islands. As Pilot whales and other small cetaceans are not covered by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling, it is for the Faroese Government to decide whether to continue these hunts.
	Nevertheless, the UK has long been concerned about the cruel way in which these hunts are conducted and has pressed for improvements for a number of years, both directly and within the IWC. I will continue to make our strong opposition to these hunts known to the Faroe Islands.
	We also made progress at this year's annual meeting of the 'Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas' (ASCOBANS). The UK raised concerns about the increasing numbers, and diversity of species being taken, namely Risso's and White Sided Dolphins. In response, the Faroe Islands indicated that the hunting of Risso's dolphins would not continue.

Youth Services: Per Capita Costs

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much each English local authority reported in the S251 financial returns as outturn expenditure on (a) youth work, (b) Connexions and (c) all provisions for young people per capita in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 24 November 2011
	A copy of the tables showing outturn expenditure per capita for each local authority in England on (a) youth work; (b) Connexions and (c) all provision of activities for young people in 2008-09 and 2009-10 has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	There is significant variation between local authorities in the amounts shown under each category which may reflect different interpretations of the guidance on completing the returns. The Department has commissioned a full review of how the data is collected, what it is used for, and of quality assurance.

Children: Maintenance

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Child Support Agency in collecting payments from a non-resident parent.

Maria Miller: The proportion of parents with a statutory maintenance liability paying child maintenance in September 2011 was 77.8%.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, which is also responsible for the Child Support Agency, has improved its effectiveness in collecting payments from the non-resident parents over the past few years, but we recognise that much more needs to be done. More than three million children live in separated families, but only around 50% of those benefit from an effective maintenance arrangement. In addition the annual running costs of the statutory maintenance scheme is approximately £460 million, on average a cost of around 40p for each £1 of child maintenance collected or arranged and this does not represent value for money to the taxpayer.
	The Green Paper consultation document published in January—‘Strengthening families, promoting parental responsibility: the future of child maintenance’—outlines our assessment of some of the issues of the current system and sets out our plans for the radical reshaping of the child maintenance system. The Government's response to the consultation was published on 12 July.

Children: Maintenance

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the suitability of the assessment criteria used by the Child Support Agency for child maintenance payments.

Maria Miller: There are currently two child support schemes, each with quite different rules. On the older of the two schemes, the information about our clients is so historic that almost 200,000 cases are assessed as needing to pay nothing. Around half of children living in separated families have no effective financial arrangement in place at all. All this means that many children are missing out.
	This is why we want to reform the system and introduced our Green Paper ‘Strengthening families, promoting parental responsibility: the future of child Maintenance’ published in January 2011, in which we confirmed plans to introduce a single new child maintenance scheme from 2012. This new scheme will make use of income data from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
	On 1 December 2011 the Government launched a public consultation for views on the draft regulations for the future scheme. Further details can be found here:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/consultations.html

Housing Benefit: Manpower

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will announce what will happen to staff currently administering housing benefit when it is replaced by universal credit.

Chris Grayling: Universal credit is a national benefit. It will be delivered largely through an online service, with its core administration most efficiently run by a centralised system. As DWP start to build the organisation to deliver universal credit, and we have yet to settle on the precise detail, and select the right people with the right capability it is likely some of those skills will exist within local authorities. We will therefore always look to include local authority staff in our thinking.
	In relation to the longer term delivery of universal credit, we will continue to work with colleagues in HM Revenue and Customs and local authorities to test new ways of working and impact ongoing delivery model design at both a national and local level. Our aim is to work collaboratively to enable the decision making process and deliver optimal value. This includes the decision making around any redundancies, for which we have small amount in our business case (whether they are in DWP, HMRC or local authorities). However, we will work to reduce the number of redundancies as far as possible, given the time available to us to plan and complete the transition to universal credit by 2017. I expect survey results to be available from local authorities by the end of the year and hope to be able to provide more details of the transition plan in the new year.

Social Justice Directorate

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of staff of his Department who will work in the Social Justice Directorate in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.

Chris Grayling: The Strategy Group, which the Social Justice Directorate is part of, are operating a flexible resourcing approach. This means that the headcount across the Strategy Group will be regularly reviewed to ensure it is deployed against organisational priorities.

Social Security Benefits

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to reduce the number of people who are penalised for mistakes on their benefit applications.

Chris Grayling: There is no measure to penalise those who make mistakes on their benefit applications.
	The Government have made provision in the Welfare Reform Bill which is currently before Parliament to introduce a civil penalty to deter individuals from negligent behaviour in future and increase their personal responsibility for keeping claims correct. In the long term we expect the number of penalties imposed to reduce as a result of encouraging a positive change in claimant behaviour.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much of the budget allocated to implementation of universal credit will be spent for each purpose in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-15 and (d) 2015-16.

Chris Grayling: The 2010 spending review settlement included funding of £2 billion for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15. This is intended to meet all the costs of introducing universal credit including any increases in benefit expenditure, additional benefit administration costs in the transition period, the costs of IT development and implementation, communications, staff training and programme management.
	Expenditure for years beyond 2011-12 is indicative and subject to adjustments as plans for the programme develops.

International Assistance

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with international aid organisations about the Multilateral Aid Review.

Andrew Mitchell: I wrote last month to all 39 multilateral organisations where Department for International Development (DFID) continues to be part of core funding decisions, outlining priority areas for improvement. The letter also confirmed that to continue to inform robust decisions in DFID core aid funding to multilateral, DFID will update the multilateral aid review (MAR) for all 39 organisations in 2013, focusing on those particular areas for improvement.
	DFID is in ongoing discussions with multilateral partners on areas for improvement and to monitor progress.

Sri Lanka: Internally Displaced People

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the government of Sri Lanka on land registration in the north and east of Sri Lanka.

Andrew Mitchell: I have not had any recent discussions with the Government of Sri Lanka, but the High Commission in Colombo regularly urges the Government of Sri Lanka to resolve land disputes through a fair and accountable process. Land rights are challenging in most post conflict situations involving internally displaced people or refugees. In Sri Lanka, the system of land distribution and multiple displacements of different groups and individuals over many years have resulted in many issues over land, including competing claims on the same land.

Defence: Procurement

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his announcements on procurement in the Autumn Statement constitute a third phase of the Growth Review; and whether the defence industry will be involved.

Danny Alexander: The procurement policy measures set out in the autumn statement were a product of phase two of the Growth Review. No decisions have been taken on the next phase of the Growth Review;

Emergencies

Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent staff work on the financial services workstream of the Capabilities programme; and what the staffing level was in each of the last 10 quarters.

Mark Hoban: Work on the financial services workstream of the National Resilience Capabilities programme is carried out by staff as part of a broader portfolio of work concerning finance sector resilience. It is not possible to provide a specific full time equivalent figure for the Capabilities programme aspect of that work for this or previous years.

Employment

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many new jobs will need to be created to keep pace with population growth in each of the next 10 years.

Chloe Smith: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) released the official forecast for UK whole economy employment to the first quarter of 2017 as part of the November 2011 “Economic and Fiscal Outlook”.
	The OBR expects UK population aged 16 and above to rise by 1.8 million, or around 3.5% between the start of 2011 and the start of 2017.
	Over the same period, total employment is forecast to increase at a similar pace (around 3.5%), from 29.2 million to 30.2 million.
	As a result, the OBR forecasts that the 16+ employment rate (number of people in employment among those aged 16 and above) will remain broadly unchanged at around 58.5 over the period.
	The Government are taking steps to support private sector job creation and reduce unemployment:
	Reducing red tape and facilitating access to finance for small and medium sized enterprises through credit easing, helping businesses to grow and take on new workers;
	Implementing reforms to help people find work including specific support for young people through the Youth Contract.

Financial Services: Taxation

Hazel Blears: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total tax revenue raised from the financial services sector was in each year since 2008-09.

Mark Hoban: Tax receipts from the financial services sector are available for corporation tax, PAYE income tax and class 1 national insurance contributions (NICs), value added tax (VAT), bank payroll tax (BPT) and insurance premium tax (IPT).
	Corporation tax net receipts for the financial services sector can be found in Table 11.1 A on the HMRC National Statistics website available at the following internet address. This table includes figures for the financial services sector for financial years from 2000-01. The sectors are defined by HMRC's summary trade classifications:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/table11-1a.pdf
	Total PAYE income tax and class 1 NICs received by HMRC in respect of employee and employer liabilities combined for the financial sector are shown in the accompanying table for 2008-09 to 2010-11.
	For PAYE, the financial intermediation sector, defined by the Office for National Statistics' Standard Industrial Classification 2003, is used.
	
		
			 Total receipts for PAYE income tax and class 1 NICs in respect of employee and employer liabilities combined from financial intermediation sector (2008-09 to 2010-11 years from May to April) 
			  Receipts (£ billion) 
			 2008-09 22.9 
			 2009-10 24.5 
			 2010-11 26.5 
			 Note: PAYE IT and NICs class 1 figures are slightly incomplete in that some late payments are omitted. These late payments represent about 1% of the total, and do so fairly consistently from year to year, so comparisons between years are not significantly affected. 
		
	
	The amount of Home VAT declared on traders' returns is published by trade group in table 2.3 of HMRCs latest VAT factsheet. This can be accessed at the following location on the internet:
	https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=factvat
	The above figures do not include estimates of irrecoverable input VAT borne by the financial sector, robust estimates of which are not currently available, but which are significantly larger than the VAT collected from the sector itself.
	A Bank payroll tax was levied on the bonuses awarded by banks and building societies in the financial year 2009-10 after 8 December 2009. The net yield raised by the bank payroll tax is estimated to be £2.3 billion, while gross receipts were £3.4 billion. An explanation of the methodology underlying the estimate of net yield can be found in the previous written answer given on 24 November 2010, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA337. In line with guidance from the Office for National Statistics, the yield from the bank payroll tax was allocated to the 2010-11 tax year, as this is the point at which the tax was passed into legislation.
	IPT liabilities and receipts can be accessed at the following location on the internet:
	https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullipt

Infrastructure: Finance

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of funding for the National Infrastructure Plan has been allocated to infrastructure projects in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Wales.

Danny Alexander: The National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) is relevant to investment in reserved areas of infrastructure in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Table 2.3 on page 49 of the Autumn Statement contains the full list of new infrastructure spending. This includes UK wide projects such as mobile network coverage and urban broadband. In Scotland this also includes carriages for the Caledonian sleeper train.
	The Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive are responsible for planning and prioritising infrastructure investment in areas that are devolved. Where policy is devolved, as noted in Table 2.3 of the Autumn statement, the Administrations receive Barnett consequentials on comparable additional infrastructure spending of UK Departments in the normal way.

Planning: Expenditure

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate his Department has made of the financial costs of the planning system to the UK economy; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: Ministers have considered independent analyses and stakeholder views of costs associated with the planning system. In a report for the Department for Communities and Local Government, Professor Ball of the university of Reading suggested that the transaction costs of development control for major residential development alone may be up to £3 billion a year. The report is available online at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/507390/pdf/1436960.pdf
	In very recent evidence to the DCLG Select Committee Professor Ball advised that the actual costs are likely to be higher than this, which could push total transaction costs for residential development from £3 billion to over £4 billion. This does not include costs for commercial developments.

Public Expenditure: Infrastructure

Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Barnett consequential funding will be paid for investment in infrastructure projects.

Danny Alexander: As part of the autumn statement announcement the devolved Administrations will receive additional Capital DEL funding to support Infrastructure investment over four years—please see following table.
	
		
			 £million 
			  2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Scotland 50 68 142 172 
			 Wales 0 39 81 97 
			 Northern Ireland 0 24 53 58

Tax Collection

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in cases where HM Revenue and Customs has issued incorrect tax codes to individuals, it (a) charges those individuals interest and (b) otherwise penalises them financially for not paying their tax bills on time; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: Most people pay the right amount of tax through the PAYE system. However, the PAYE tax code represents an estimate of liability, and in a minority of cases therefore, an adjustment is needed after the end of the year to ensure that people pay the right amount. In particular, tax codes will not always reflect changes in an individual's circumstances during the tax year. At the end of the tax year HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) checks whether each individual has paid the correct amount of tax due.
	The reconciliation process for 2010-11 commenced in July 2011. Where possible, HMRC will collect underpayments of less than £3,000 during 2012-13 by making an adjustment in the tax code so that the amount due is recovered from the taxpayer's salary over the course of the tax year. Where this is likely to cause financial difficulty HMRC may be able to spread the payments over two or three years. No interest or penalties are charged in these cases.
	Where the underpayment is £3,000 or over or cannot be collected by an adjustment in a future tax code, for example because the individual may no longer be in receipt of PAYE income, HMRC will ask for a voluntary payment. Interest will not be charged providing taxpayers engage with HMRC and agree to pay their underpayment. Where payment is not made voluntarily it is requested through Self Assessment where interest and penalties may be charged on payments made late.
	People who face financial difficulty in paying tax underpaid will be treated sympathetically and should contact HMRC immediately. Further information and advice is available on the HMRC website at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/p800/paye-tax-calcs.htm

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the menu is for soldiers serving in Afghanistan on Christmas day; and what the estimated cost is of each meal.

Andrew Robathan: On Christmas day in Afghanistan, troops and support staff in locations where chefs are present and the security situation allows, will be served a full English breakfast, traditional turkey lunch with trimmings, and a buffet supper. Other meal options will also be available for those with special dietary requirements.
	The estimated cost of the troops' meals for the day is £5.50, however this is the cost of the raw ingredients only, and as such, it is difficult to break this down into the three meals; we estimate that the traditional turkey lunch costs approximately £2.75.

Armed Forces: Housing

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel returning from Germany he expects to be based within 40 miles of their families' living quarters.

Nick Harvey: It is too early to be specific, but I expect that the vast majority of service personnel will be based well within 40 miles of their living accommodation.
	Tri-Service regulations state that service personnel are entitled to service family accommodation (SFA) at, or within a 10 mile radius, of their permanent duty station. In areas where there are pressures on SFA, this may be extended up to a 20 mile radius with the permission of their Service Command. In exceptional cases this distance can be further extended. In London, personnel are usually entitled to SFA within 90 minutes travel time using public transport. Exceptional arrangements can be made, for instance, for reasons of personal choice.
	Some personnel relocated to Dalton Barracks, Abingdon, are being housed beyond the 20 mile radius. Single soldiers will move into barracks in Bicester and families will move predominantly to Arborfield. This is exceptional.

Armed Forces: Housing

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF personnel have been asked to vacate their service accommodation in advance of deployment to Afghanistan in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF personnel have been asked to vacate their service accommodation in advance of deployment overseas in the last year for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: No Service families are asked to vacate their service family accommodation in advance of, or because of, an operational deployment and therefore will remain in their homes during the deployment.
	Unless posted to a new location after deployment personnel should expect to return to their single living accommodation after their deployment.

Armed Forces: Housing

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the (a) closest, (b) furthest and (c) average distance between barracks and service family accommodation at (i) Kinloss and (ii) Cottesmore barracks;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the (a) closest, (b) furthest and (c) average distance between service family accommodation and barracks.

Andrew Robathan: No estimate has been made. However, personnel are usually allocated Service Family Accommodation (SFA) at, or within, a ten mile radius of their permanent duty station, and this is the case at Kinloss and Cottesmore. In areas where there are pressures on SFA, this may be extended up to a twenty mile radius with the permission of the appropriate service command and in exceptional cases, special dispensation may be granted to accommodate personnel beyond this limit.
	Personnel may also request temporarily surplus SFA at other locations for reasons of personal choice.

Armed Forces: Housing

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the 20 most expensive substitute civilian staff accommodation properties rented out were in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what the postal district was of each such property; and how many occupants there were in each.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 6 December 2011
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not recognise the term 'substitute civilian staff accommodation' and therefore the requested information is not held.
	To make best use of temporarily surplus service accommodation, eligible civilian personnel may be allowed to occupy it on a non-entitled basis, but we do not fund substitute service accommodation for civilian use.
	However, MOD civilian employees who are relocated to a location that is outside of reasonable travelling distance either as a result of a permanent or temporary posting are entitled to reimbursement of additional and reasonable costs incurred with occupying private temporary accommodation they are responsible for arranging.

Capita

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts his Department has awarded to Capita since May 2010; and what the (a) purpose, (b) monetary value and (c) net worth was of each such contract.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded six contracts to Capita or its associated companies since May 2010, with a total value of just over £13 million. The six contracts cover provision of technical support, medical services, and communication and information systems. These contracts fall within the following value ranges:
	
		
			 Contract value banding Number of contracts 
			 £5 million to £10 million 2 
			 £100,000 to £250,000 3 
			 Under £100,000 1 
			 Total contracts 6 
		
	
	This information was taken from the MOD's Defence business service finance contracts database as at 1 December 2011.

Departmental Consultants

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Upper Bann of 21 October 2011, Official Report, column 1167W, on departmental consultants, how many contracts of more than £20,000 his Department has awarded to external consultants since July 2010; what the details of each such contract were; and how many such proposals required approval from the Efficiency and Reform Group.

Peter Luff: Between 1 August 2010 and 31 August 2011 the Ministry of Defence (MOD) placed 29 contracts for management consultancy valued at over £20,000, the combined value of which was £15.2 million. In accordance with the Efficiency Reform Group (ERG) approvals process, six of those contracts required ERG approval before being granted. During financial year 2009-10, the MOD spent a total of £79 million on management consultancy, which fell to £26 million during financial year 2010-11. These figures are inclusive of expenditure on contracts placed in previous years.
	The details of the contracts and the ERG approvals sought in accordance with the agreed process are detailed in the following table:
	
		
			 Requirement description Supplier name ERG Approval at   nine   month point? Total approved spend (£) 
			 Defence Acquisition Reform Programme (DARP) Project Management Capability Atkins Ltd No < 9 months 218,000 
			 ERP Project—Implementation and Development—Technical Services Capgemini PLC No—approved prior to 24 May 2010 60,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Legal Services Davitt Jones Exempt Legal Council 150,000 
			 SDSR Contract re-negotiation Deloitte No < Nine months 120,000 
			 External Assistance for Defence Infrastructure Transformation Programme Deloitte Yes 816,000 
			 Provision of training needs analysis in support Unit Welfare Workers Explosive Learning Solutions No—approved prior to 24 May 2010 43,500 
			 TUPE advice to the RPP Project Hewitt, Bacon and Woodrow No—approved prior to 24 May 2010 60,000 
			 AHL Strategic Advice and Support KPMG No < Nine months 110,782 
			 Flight Simulation and Synthetic Trainers—PUMA KPMG, Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP No < Nine months 160,000 
			 MIB—Programme Office Manager LA International No—approved prior to 24 May 2010 49,400 
			 AIS-PM LAMBTON LA International No—approved prior to 24 May 2010 27,030 
			 Corporate HQ—CDM EPP Phase 1 LEK Consulting Ltd No < Nine months 86,900 
			 Project Phoenix Mills and Reeve No—approved prior to 24 May 2010 59,850 
			 Joint Suppy Chain Services PWC No < nine months 26,309 
			 Carry out a soft issues assessment of the six bidders competing for new ISP contracts Quatrosystem Ltd No < nine months 103,177 
			 Z9A2085Y10—Structural Engineer Surveys of Hangers at West Freugh as a potential site to store the 2nd line equipment of 19 Brigade Royal Haskoning No 28,000 
			 To undertake work for the new operating model for DIO Transcend No—approved prior to 24 May 2010 48,500 
			 ERP Project— Implementation and Development—Project Team Costs—Cutover Management Worldwide Technology UK Ltd Yes 168,006 
			 DNPS HR Research Attitude Survey 2010-2012 Harris Interactive Ltd No < nine months 170,000 
			 Cost Assurance and Analysis Service (CASS) Development Programme—Cost Forecasting KPMG LLP Yes 12,000,000 
			 Assessment of the Admiralty Interview Board TMP (UK) Ltd No < nine months 27,150 
			 Development of Tacticcal Docterine for Firearms Operations at National Infrastructure Sites Aldersgate Partners LLP No < nine months 76,800 
			 Heath needs Audit for Nuclear Test Veterans Miles and Green Associates Ltd Yes 74,000 
			 Provision of a Cultural Advisor to the Task Force in Helmand/Afghanistan InterCultures Ltd No—UOR 49,770 
			 Review of RN Selection Kenexa No < nine months 27,000 
			 NATO Capability Culture Scoping Study Cranfield University No—NATO 48,414 
			 Field Army Stock Efficiency Systems Consultants Services Ltd Yes 100,000 
			 Future Defence Storage and Distribution programme Ernst and Young Yes 222,000 
			 The application of NATO software systems for sustainability Planning Analix Ltd No—NATO 59,550 
			 Total value of the 29 contracts awarded to external consultants from 1 July 2010 to 31 August 2011   15,190,138 
		
	
	Please note: The data above does not include any contacts placed before 1 July 2010 nor contracts which are awaiting ERG approval nor those contracts which are on hold.

Departmental Consultants

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts his Department has awarded to management consultants (a) since the publication of the Strategic Defence and Security Review and (b) in 2010-11; and what the total value is of those contracts.

Peter Luff: Between 19 October 2010 and 31 October 2011, 72 contracts with a total value of £9.931 million were awarded to companies providing services to the Ministry of Defence under the Government Procurement Services definition of management consultancy. During financial year (FY) 2010-11 the total number of contracts awarded was 159, with a total value of £23.308 million. During FY 2009-10, based on the data held centrally, the number of contracts awarded was 288, with a total value of £63.799 million.

Departmental Consultants

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which management consultancies provided services to his Department during the last 12 months.

Peter Luff: Since 1 October 2010, the following firms have provided services to the Ministry of Defence, under the Government Procurement Services definition of management consultancy. This relates to contracts with a value over £20,000. We do not hold data centrally on contracts below £20,000 in value and this could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Hewitt Associates, Hewitt Bacon & Woodrow, LA International, Intercultures Ltd, Atkins Ltd, Harris Interactive Ltd, TMP(UK) Ltd, Cranfield University, Systems Consultants Services Ltd, Explosive Learning Solutions, PWC, Quatrosystem Ltd, Transcend, KPMG, Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP, Kenexa, LEK Consulting Ltd, Deloitte, Davitt Jones, Denton Wilde Sapte, Pinsent Masons, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Burges Salmon LLP, Simmons & Simmons.
	Total spend on management consultancy in financial year 2010-11 was £26 million, compared to £79 million for financial year 2009-10.

Harrier Aircraft

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the sale price for the Harrier jump jet includes intellectual property rights for their upgrade;
	(2)  what methodology his Department used to calculate the sale price for the Harrier jump jet;
	(3)  with how many (a) private contractors and (b) national governments his Department has had discussions on the sale of Harrier jump jets.

Peter Luff: The UK-owned Harrier aircraft are included in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the USA, Italy and Spain. Given the support arrangements that were set out in the MOU which requires first refusal to be given to these nations, the UK offered the Harrier aircraft and assets to these nations. A declared intent from the US Government to purchase the majority of Harrier assets meant that sale to commercial enterprises was not explored. Interest in the Harrier aircraft was received from two non-MOU countries but detailed discussions did not take place.
	The value of the sale was established by negotiation following market analysis taking into consideration the net book value of the assets. Further allowance was made for the UK not providing any forms of warranty, guarantee or indemnity for the state, condition, accuracy, fitness for purpose, quality or standard of any of the Harrier assets or documentation.
	The sale price of Harrier assets to the US Government did not include Intellectual Property Rights.

Navy

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what period elapsed between the initial gate decision and full operational capability in respect of each Royal Navy (a) surface vessel and (b) submarine commissioned in the last 10 years.

Peter Luff: Initial gate approvals and declaration of full operating capability are given on a class basis rather than by individual vessel and the relevant dates are listed in the following table. Initial gate is approval to undertake development and evaluation of options within an assessment phase to determine which best meets the requirement. Full operating capability is when the full planned military capability is delivered, which is usually some time after the last ship in the class has been commissioned. The concept of initial gate was introduced in 1998 following the strategic defence review, so those classes of vessel which had been approved before then did not undergo such a process. The information provided is for each of the classes of Royal Naval surface vessel and submarine for which one or more vessels has been commissioned within the period 1 December 2001 to 30 November 2011.
	
		
			 Vessel class Date of initial gate Date of full operating capability for class 
			 Astute Class submarines(1) n/a (5)— 
			 Type 45 destroyers(2) n/a (5)— 
			 Type 23 frigates(1) n/a 2002 
			 River Class(3) n/a 2004 
			 HMS Clyde(4) 2003 2007 
			 HMS Protector(4) 2010 2011 
			 HMS Albion/Bulwark(1) n/a 2004 
			 Sandown Class(1) n/a 2001 
			 HMS Echo/Enterprise 1999 2004 
			 (1) The Department did not have an initial gate approval point when these programmes were initiated. For Type 23 the first frigate (HMS Norfolk) was laid down in 1985 and the last frigate (HMS St Albans) was commissioned in 2002. For the Astute programme, the Department considers the equivalent date to be 1991, and for HMS Albion/Bulwark 1991 and for the Sandown Class 1994. (2) The Type 45 programme was initially part of the Common New Generation Frigate (CNGF) project with France and Italy. The Type 45 programme was established when the UK withdrew from the CNGF element of the tripartite collaborative project. The Type 45 programme, therefore, went straight to main gate in August 2000. (3) An initial gate decision was not made for the River Class as the vessels were proposed by the shipbuilder Vosper Thorneycroft UK through an unsolicited bid. The Department placed a contract for the lease and support of the River Class in 2001. (4) HMS Clyde and Protector are non-complex vessels acquired through commercial lease arrangements, thus the period between initial gate and full operational capability is much shorter than for the other projects. (5) Not yet achieved.

Sea King Helicopters

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the likely cost of extending the life of the Search and Rescue Sea King helicopters for (a) two, (b) five and (c) 10 years.

Peter Luff: The following table shows the estimated capital investment necessary to extend the life of the Ministry of Defence's Search and Rescue Sea Kings beyond their planned retirement; this is forecast to commence in 2015 and will conclude by March 2016.
	
		
			 Estimated costs for extending life of SAR Sea Kings beyond 2016 
			 Number of years £ million 
			 Two 20 
			 Five 100 
			 Ten 350 
		
	
	These costs are for extending the life of the airframe only, and do not include the costs for providing aircrew and maintainers, supporting the aircrew training system, including simulators, and providing associated management arrangements, all of which are to be provided by the contractor under arrangements announced by the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), on 28 November 2011, Official Report, columns 52-53WS. These costs also exclude the costs of actually operating and flying the aircraft. It should be noted that while Sea King helicopters could be run on, their older design and age means that their capability in terms of time to reach incidents and availability would remain lower than more modern helicopters, regardless of investment.